This invention relates to a modular cabinet system and more particularly for a modular bar system for recreational use in homes.
Bar units have long been a popular furnishing for entertainment areas of homes such as family rooms, recreational rooms, game rooms, or dens. The bar units provide storage space for beverages and for services utensils such as glasses, as well as providing a serving surface that does not occupy a great deal of space.
Bar units also serve a decorative function, lending to the "theme" of the room. Thus, it is preferable for a bar system to have the appearance of a bar in a commercial tavern. Such a tavern bar is typically made of a hard wood and has a counter with a decorative solid wood face portion. This face portion typically rises above the counter level and includes a curved portion often used to rest one's arms when sitting or standing at the bar. Tavern bars have a counter height such that people may comfortably lean on the bar while standing or sitting in bar stools. Thus, bar stools are higher than conventional chairs, and the average person sitting in a bar stool cannot comfortably reach the ground with their feet. Tavern bars therefore also frequently have a brass foot rail running the length of the bar to facilitate sitting at bar stools.
In duplicating tavern bars for home bar systems, there has been a marked tradeoff between price and appearance. Duplication of the solid wood appearance of a tavern bar requires expensive materials. While thin wood veneers are often used to reduce cost, the resultant appearance is less desirable and less durable. Even the duplication of the more modern tavern bars requires expensive laminates.
Further, commercial home bar systems are limited by retail constraints. In order to be commercially viable, the bar systems must be conducive to mass production and they must be readily packaged and transported. Thus, typical retail bar systems are extremely limited and usually involve a single unit several feet long. More complex retail units may include several pieces, including a corner piece, but are extremely expensive, have limited versatility, and can be readily identified as a sectional system.
Larger and more sophisticated units may be custom designed, but such an alternative is extremely labor intensive, loses much of the cost benefit of mass production and once built cannot easily be rearranged.
It is also often desirable to include in home bar systems some of the features found in commercial bar systems, such as running water and drain (wet bar), a refrigerator, an ice machine, a carbonated beer tap system, glass racks (overhead or below the counter), a back bar, or overhead cabinets with various lighting systems. A back bar is usually flush to a wall and has a more narrow counter, providing extra display, storage and work space. Therefore, it is preferred that a bar system be configured to accommodate these features.
Another popular feature of a tavern bar is the tray portion of the bar counter. This is the several inch ledge that extends the length of the interior of the bar. This ledge is slightly lower than the bar counter top and is wide enough to accommodate a glass or ash tray. The try or ledge provides work surface for preparing beverages or drinks by a person or persons standing behind the bar. Any spillage or overflow (which is prevalent in pouring carbonated beverages) will flow onto the ledge or tray and will not effect the bar counter top. Thus, any spillage or overflow is easier to clean up and will not effect those standing or seated at the other side of the bar. The tray or ledge portion of a bar counter provides a particular problem in making a modular bar system with a corner piece while disguising the sectional nature of the system.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a modular bar system which may be produced in quantities and sold on a retail basis.
It is a further object to provide a modular bar system which simulates the appearance of a tavern bar, and particularly a modular bar system which does not have the appearance of a sectional system.
Another object of this invention is to provide a versatile modular system that may be rearranged into a variety of configurations.